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Minnesota man accused of killing man, hiding him in garage for month

Police arrested Jonathan Michael Erickson, 49, on suspicion of murder after the body of Allan Bishara Aguilar was found in a St. Paul garage on Friday, July 14, 2017. (Courtesy of the Ramsey County Sheriff's Office)

ST. PAUL—For four weeks, a man's body lay decomposing in a garage in a St. Paul neighborhood, covered by layers of plastic bedding and concealed by debris.

Prior, the garage had typically been open, a gathering space for friends to drink in. For a month, however, friends of the victim reported that the owner had closed the garage and denied anyone entry.

On Friday, friends of the victim broke into the garage and found the man, and on Monday police identified him as Allan Bishara Aguilar.

A 49-year-old man who lives at the address faces charges in connection with the death.

John Michael Erickson was charged with two counts of second-degree murder in "Buddy" Aguilar's death, according to criminal complaint filed against him in Ramsey County District Court.

Aguilar, 47, had last been seen June 13, 2017. His body was found around 3 p.m. on Friday at 607 Lawson Avenue. The police also found a stolen car that had been partially stripped in the garage, according to the complaint.

Erickson told police that he had previously allowed neighbors to work on cars in his garage. One day, according to the complaint, he discovered half of his tools missing. A neighbor blamed Aguilar for stealing the tools. Erickson told them he wanted his tools returned and the car removed from the garage.

Friends of Aguilar reported at some point hearing Erickson threaten to shoot Aguilar if Erickson ever saw him again.

A week after the tool incident, Erickson reportedly heard something in his garage and went to investigate. When he moved to turn on the lights, he was struck by "a bat or something." Erickson reported that he wrestled the man in his garage and used a metal jack from his tool bench to strike the man four or five times. He told police he was fighting for his family and his life.

Erickson reported that he did not know what to do after since he had just killed a man and had a stolen car in his garage, so he covered the man, put him in a corner of his garage, and said he hoped the maggots would take care of the body, according to the complaint.

Friends of Aguilar noticed some strange behavior around Erickson. One day, Erickson asked one of them for help with two things. He invited the man into the garage, but the man refused. Erickson then reportedly began talking "crazy stuff," about a coffin in his garage and neighbors who had brought a stolen car there. The man reported thinking Erickson was under the influence of alcohol.

A few days later, the man reported noticing a lot of flies and an odd smell. Erickson told him he had recently buried a dog in the front yard.

Suspicious of Erickson's behavior, friends of Aguilar broke into the garage to investigate. They called the police when they found the body, which officials later identified as Aguilar's, according to court documents.

When he was arrested, Erickson reportedly told the officer, "Hey, man, just do me a favor and watch my dog. I am doing the same thing you do, you know, cleaning up the streets."